The Shadows: Umbreon's Demise
by Haileyamandar
Summary: Just because they were saving other Shadow Pokemon doesn't mean that they weren't vulnerable to the shadows themselves. Espeon's point of view. Oneshot: Pokemon Colosseum.


Fear not those who kill the body but cannot destroy the soul.

Isn't that something those humans believed in? Does that mean that tomfool who had destroyed the soul of my dearest Umbreon was to be feared? Because Umbreon's soul had been utterly eradicated.

A wave of pain shuddered through my spine and I thought my head was going to explode. Tears were streaming down my cheeks, my emotions shining like a bright flashlight inside of a dark forest. My left ear was half missing and bloody, and my left leg was sliced and hung loosely at my side.

Though I was in extreme pain, none of that was as excruciating as what Umbreon must have been going through. My best friend was consumed by the shadows that closed the door to his heart. The humans did it to Pokemon they deemed worthy; I hated them for it. I could have done more for him, for Umbreon. I could have saved him, but it was too late.

I hacked up blood and vile while Umbreon stood a few feet away from me, an evil grin on his face. I knew in my heart though that the evil I was seeing on the outside was just an artificial steroid, and the old Umbreon was in fact still in there somewhere, slowly fading away… I wanted more than anything in the world to bring that old profile back to the front, and to get rid of these shadows forever.

The black and yellow Pokemon started to walk towards me, his muscles rippling underneath his once glossly fur. He suddenly stopped in his tracks, however, and my stomach lurched as I watched the older Umbreon suddenly convulse, his eyes wide and full of agonizing pain. His legs gave out underneath him and he huddled on the ground, and the few tiny scratches I had managed to give him earlier before were catching grit and dust that was floating in the air.

He was fighting it. I could tell by the way he turned away from me, and started to crawl away. He couldn't do it for long however, and he lay limp on the grimy dirt, breathing heavily. My purplish-pink fur was now almost completely bloodstained as I limped over towards him. It took a while for me to get to him, as I was so exhausted… I just wanted a few more moments with him, though, the Pokemon I loved so much.

I stopped next to him and stared down at him for a second, his red eyes looking up at mine. They looked clear, but I could see them cloud over every few moments or so. He was doing a good job fighting it.

I let myself fall down on the ground and moved my tired head so my nose was touching his. We lay like that for a few minutes, and I could almost read his thoughts.

…_I'm sorry…_ he told me.

I accepted his apology by rubbing my bloody tongue across the bridge of his nose, and I let another gallon of tears fall. I knew neither of us had much more time for this; I was dying, and Umbreon was almost out of willpower to hold back any more of the shadows that blocked the door to his heart.

I didn't want it to end, so I tried to fight it. I inched myself forward until I my front paw and cheek was laying on Umbreon's shoulder, and I would rise with his steady back and forth breathing.

It didn't go on for long until I finally felt Umbreon's body begin to convulse again. He was gone. I didn't move from his shoulder when he lifted his head, nor did I move when his teeth sank down on my right ear.

I gave a quiet gasp and felt my forked tail quiver, but I didn't flinch. I suddenly wondered if I should have been killing him. If the real Umbreon was evaporated enough to kill me, surely it'd be an easy task for him to destroy other Pokemon and people.

Salty tears blurred my vision and Umbreon lifted himself off of the ground, letting go of his grip on my ears. It was then that I had a chance to reach up and slash at his soft throat. I could have ended the desolation. My heart, however, wouldn't let me do it, and it convinced my mind of the same.

Umbreon released the stored energy in his body and used a Shadow Rush attack aimed at my head. It was as if it was all in slow motion – I watched as he came towards me, every trace of the old, past him that I had grown up with gone. Every ounce of tenderness and the love he had shared with me was lost, and soon the only one he had ever felt a connection with was going to perish.

It was then that I knew I had failed him. All of my chances I had to save him, and I didn't. Now he was destined to live a life of depravity and loneliness, and the humans would more than likely take him into their grasps… They would use him as a tool, and though he would long for the old life he had once spent, he would never be able to escape and get it back.

The Shadow Rush connected with my head, and then everything was void.

Why didn't I save you?


End file.
